Systems, devices, and methods for lymph specimen tracking, drainage determination, visualization, and treatment

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods of lymphatic specimen tracking, visualization, and lymph node drainage pathway determination. An exemplary method includes receiving computed tomographic (CT) image data corresponding to a CT scan, generating a three-dimensional (3D) model of at least a portion of a patient's body based on the CT image data, identifying one or more lymph nodes in the 3D model, performing a registration of the 3D model with one or more physical locations in the patient's body, determining an expected lymph node drainage pathway away from a region of interest through one or more lymph nodes, and displaying the 3D model and the expected lymph node drainage pathway.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of lymphatic specimen tracking, visualization, and lymph node drainage pathway determination, the method comprising:
 receiving computed tomographic (CT) image data corresponding to a CT scan; 
 generating a three-dimensional (3D) model of at least a portion of a patient's body based on the CT image data; 
 identifying one or more lymph nodes in the 3D model; 
 identifying a drainage tier of each lymph node of the one or more lymph nodes, the drainage tier including one of sentinel nodes, one or more secondary nodes, and one or more tertiary nodes; 
 performing a registration of the 3D model with one or more physical locations in the patient's body; 
 determining an expected lymph node drainage pathway away from a region of interest through the one or more lymph nodes; 
 displaying the 3D model and the expected lymph node drainage pathway; 
 tracking a location of a surgical instrument; 
 analyzing the one or more lymph nodes based on the tracked location of the surgical instrument; 
 measuring radiation emission levels from the region of interest; and 
 displaying a lymph node data user interface including:
 an image of a first lymph node of the one or more lymph nodes at a previous tracked location of the surgical instrument and first lymph node information data including the radiation emission levels measured for the first lymph node; and 
 an image of a second lymph node of the one or more lymph nodes at a current tracked location of the surgical instrument and second lymph node information data including the radiation emission levels measured for the second lymph node, wherein the image of the first lymph node is displayed in a first color based on the identified drainage tier of the first lymph node and wherein the image of the second lymph node is displayed in a second color different from the first color based on the identified drainage tier of the second lymph node. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 injecting the region of interest with a marking agent; 
 sampling the one of more lymph nodes based on the expected lymph node drainage pathway; and 
 measuring the marking agent within the one or more lymph nodes. 
 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the marking agent is selected from the group consisting of an optical coloring agent and a radioactive tracer. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 determining a measured lymph node drainage pathway away from the region of interest through the one or more lymph nodes based on the marking agent measured within the one or more lymph nodes; and 
 displaying the measured lymph node drainage pathway. 
 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the marking agent is a radioactive agent and the displaying of the measured lymph node drainage pathway includes:
 displaying measured emissions of the marking agent. 
 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the lymph node data user interface includes one or more of a lymph node name, procedure type, patient information, date, marking agent measured, and clinician information. 
     
     
       7. A system for lymphatic specimen tracking and visualization, the system comprising:
 a laparoscopic camera insertable into a patient and configured to obtain images; 
 a surgical tool insertable into the patient; 
 a camera sensor operatively associated with the laparoscopic camera; 
 a tool sensor operatively associated with the surgical tool; 
 an electromagnetic tracking system configured to track the camera sensor and the tool sensor; 
 one or more processors configured to execute instructions which, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
 receive computed tomographic (CT) image data corresponding to a CT scan; 
 generate a three-dimensional (3D) model of at least a portion of a patient's body from the CT image data; 
 identify one or more lymph nodes inside the 3D model; 
 identify a drainage tier of each lymph node of the one or more lymph nodes, the drainage tier including one of sentinel nodes, one or more secondary nodes, and one or more tertiary nodes; 
 perform a registration of the 3D model with one or more physical locations in the patient's body; 
 determine an expected lymph node drainage pathway away from a region of interest through the one or more lymph nodes; 
 track a location of the surgical tool; 
 analyze the one or more lymph nodes based on the tracked location of the surgical tool; 
 measure radiation emission levels from the region of interest; 
 cause a display to display a user interface including:
 an image of a first lymph node of the one or more lymph nodes at a previous tracked location of the surgical tool and first lymph node information data including the radiation emission levels measured for the first lymph node; and 
 an image of a second lymph node of the one or more lymph nodes at a current tracked location of the surgical tool and second lymph node information data including the radiation emission levels measured for the second lymph node, wherein the image of the first lymph node is displayed in a first color based on the identified drainage tier of the first lymph node and wherein the image of the second lymph node is displayed in a second color different from the first color based on the identified drainage tier of the second lymph node. 
 
 
 
     
     
       8. The system according to  claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:
 generate the user interface, the user interface including a sampling window configured to display the identified one or more lymph nodes and the surgical tool as it interacts with the identified one or more lymph nodes inside the patient's body. 
 
     
     
       9. The system according to  claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:
 generate the user interface, the user interface including a measured drainage window configured to display the lymph node drainage pathway. 
 
     
     
       10. The system according to  claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:
 generate the user interface, the user interface including a procedure window configured to display and track a surgical procedure being performed. 
 
     
     
       11. The system according to  claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:
 receive a previous 3D model of at least a portion of the patient's body from a previous procedure including previous lymph node information data from the previous procedure; and 
 update the 3D model and the lymph node information data based on the previous 3D model and previous lymph node information data. 
 
     
     
       12. The system according to  claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:
 generate the user interface, the user interface including a removal window configured to display and update the first and second lymph node information data during a surgical procedure. 
 
     
     
       13. The system according to  claim 7 , wherein the first and second lymph node information data include one or more of lymph node name, patient information, date, and clinician information. 
     
     
       14. The system according to  claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:
 generate the user interface, the user interface including a location window configured to display a portion of the 3D model that corresponds with the images obtained by the laparoscopic camera. 
 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
 receive computed tomographic (CT) image data corresponding to a CT scan; 
 generate a three-dimensional (3D) model of at least a portion of a patient's body from the CT image data; 
 output a display for identifying one or more lymph nodes inside the 3D model; 
 identify a drainage tier of each lymph node of the one or more lymph nodes, the drainage tier including one of sentinel nodes, one or more secondary nodes, and one or more tertiary nodes; 
 perform a registration of the 3D model with one or more physical locations in the patient's body; 
 determine an expected lymph node drainage pathway away from a region of interest through the one or more lymph nodes; 
 track a location of a surgical tool; 
 output a display for analyzing the one or more lymph nodes based on the tracked location of the surgical tool; 
 receive measured radiation emission levels corresponding to the region of interest; 
 generate a user interface including: 
 an image of a first lymph node of the one or more lymph nodes at a previous tracked location of the surgical tool and first lymph node information data including the radiation emission levels measured for the first lymph node; and 
 an image of a second lymph node of the one or more lymph nodes at a current tracked location of the surgical tool and second lymph node information data including the radiation emission levels measured for the second lymph node, wherein the image of the first lymph node is displayed in a first color based on the identified drainage tier of the first lymph node and wherein the image of the second lymph node is displayed in a second color different from the first color based on the identified drainage tier of the second lymph node. 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to  claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:
 generate the user interface, the user interface including a measured drainage window configured to display the lymph node drainage pathway. 
 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to  claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:
 generate the user interface, the user interface including a procedure window configured to display and track a surgical procedure being performed.